Vanjarpatti flyover to ready by March-end

The work of Vanjarpatti flyover in Thane is nearing completion and it is likely to be ready by March-end. However, like all the infrastructure development project, the cost of this project too has increased. In this case, the cost has gone up from Rs31.6 crore to Rs62 crore.

Being constructed on Thane-Bhiwandi-Wada Road or rather Old Agra Road by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the bridge is 795-metre long.

The development authority was at the planning stage back in April 2011. Thereafter, on August 9, 2011, bids were floated for its construction and implementation.

At the time of bidding, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) implemented the project and MMRDA as a nodal agency priced the cost of the elevated structure at Rs31.6 crore. However, the same has doubled in the last four years and the project cost now stands at Rs62 crore.

This flyover also has provision for additional arms — one running from Shivaji Chowk and the other towards Nashik Highway — 380 and 320 metres respectively. While the Vanjarpatti flyover is expected to be completed by March-end, the additional arms are expected to be completed before monsoon.

"Vanjarpatti junction flyover will provide a great relief to the traffic movement leading to and from the busy powerloom city. It is a two-lane bridge with one lane on either direction," said Dilip Kawathkar, joint project director, public relations, MMRDA.